Thanks for Being a Light in a Child’s Life

At this year’s Volunteer Appreciation Dinner we gave our volunteers a flashlight to thank them for being a light in a child’s life. Below is the message that went along with the gift.

As I pondered what it means to be a light several analogies came to mind:

First, the Flashlight

It lights the way when you are in the dark

It provides comfort and safety – keeps you from running into things that might hurt you

Are you that kind of light in a child’s life?

Or maybe you are more like The Headlights of a car

Sort of an advocate – they helps others see you and give you the attention you deserve

Maybe you are a like a Lighthouse

Helping a child to stay on course

Helping to orient and provide perspective

There is also Daylight and moonlight

Which expands and broadens one’s view – you can see a lot more and a lot further when there is light

And that helps to create possibilities that you might not have known were there

What about a Flare or a flashing sign

A warning that alerts you to danger

An example might be when you say to a young person, “I’m concerned about the people you are spending time with and worried that they are not helping you be the best you”

Light is a growth agent

Plants can’t grow in darkness and neither can kids, or any of us for that matter

And they often grow toward the light – most likely your Junior Partner or target students are drawn to your energy, your warmth, your spirit, your belief in them

Light helps us find something that is lost (like when you are looking under the bed or couch) – the lost something might be trust, hope, play, joy.

Light reflects – if you have not experienced it already you might find at some point that the light you shine will be reflected back to you. Maybe your Junior Partner helped you find a part of you that was lost, broadened your view, gave you perspective, and helped you stay on course. They don’t want to disappoint you, but maybe there is a part of you that does not want to disappoint them either, and so you stay on course because you know someone is looking up to you.

I bet at some point you are all of these things to a child. So, let this little light serve as a token of our appreciation as well as a reminder to be a light and to see the light that is reflected back to you.

By: Becky Slamal, Community Outreach Manager, Partners in Routt County – April 2014